Unquestionable Love
by PFTones3482
Summary: Not part of SLOC. It's hard being Buford Van-Stomm normally. Even harder when you have feelings for your best friend and your father is disgusted by you. But that's why family isn't always those who are related to you; it's those who will protect you and care for you when you need it most. Rated K plus for some swearing. One shot.


**I've recently become slightly addicted to the Bujeet pairing….gawd. Dorky loveableness. **

**Anyway. Much fluff. A little bit of sadness. Lotsa friendship, including from Perry. Fluff fluff fluff fluff fluff. All the fluff. **

**I don't own Phineas and Ferb (DAMN).**

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><p>GENERAL POV<p>

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><p>Buford sighed and turned away from the group of friends assembled in the backyard, making his way glumly into the Flynn-Fletcher household.<p>

He slid the sliding glass door shut and slinked into the kitchen, sinking down into a chair and letting his chin rest in his hand. He shook his head slowly and ran his fingers lightly over the tablecloth, trying to hold back his tears just in case someone should come in.

His attempts were futile, however, as the tears escaped their way from his eyes and spilled down his cheeks.

The bully bit his lip and plunked his head down onto the table, burying his face in his arms and trying incredibly hard to keep himself from shaking as he sobbed.

Footsteps pounded down the stairs and Buford shot up in his seat, wiping frantically at his eyes to get rid of his tears before anyone could see.

Candace rounded the corner in a huff and the large child lowered his eyes to the table top so that she wouldn't see the redness of his corneas, the blotchiness of his pale cheeks.

"Buford!" she yelped. "What on earth are they doing out there with all of those people?!"

Buford gulped and glanced towards the backyard, trying desperately to remember what the plan for the day had been. "I um…I'm not sure," he finally croaked out, wincing as his voice cracked.

Candace, while an avid buster, had compassion and cared about her brothers friends, and her features immediately softened. She sat down across from the bully quickly, her eyes concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

The boy shrugged, keeping his eyes down as he fought back his tears, cursing himself quietly for allowing himself to become this vulnerable around the people he cared about, around the people he desperately wanted to prove his strength and toughness to. This would ruin it all, with all of them. He didn't stand a chance.

Candace frowned, leaning back in her chair and watching the child in front of her with delicate eyes. "Did…did something happen at home?"

Buford shook his head rapidly. His being upset had nothing to do with his mother, and he didn't want Candace believing that something was wrong with his home life when there wasn't. In reality, his home life (and occasionally at the Flynn-Fletcher household when around certain people) was the only place where he felt safe and welcome.

"Something wrong with….Biff?" she asked, grasping at the small bits she knew of Buford's life.

He shook his head once more, casting his gaze to the backyard sadly.

Candace furrowed her eyebrows and studied him carefully, trying to read his somber features. "Is it my brothers?" she questioned, a slight warning note in her voice.

Buford instantly shook his head and Candace sighed. "Buford, please. I want to help. If you'll talk to me, I promise I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to."

The bully glanced at her suspiciously, but, seeing complete honesty in her gaze, he relented. "Promise?" he grunted, tracing his fingers along the pattern in the tablecloth.

Candace nodded quickly, leaning forward on the table and lacing her fingers together under her chin, listening intently. All remaining thoughts she had of busting her brothers vanished as Buford turned pale and stammered a bit before managing to speak.

"I uh…I have a crush….on one of our friends….but I doubt that they like me back," he admitted sheepishly.

Candace grinned brightly, sitting straight up. "Well why didn't you say so? Isabella and I could help you with that!"

Buford glanced up slowly, carefully, his eyes nervous. "Huh?"

Candace nodded vigorously. "Yeah! Who's the girl you like?" she asked him eagerly.

Buford fell dead silent, his gaze dropping like a ton of bricks and his skin color turning a mixture of bright red and sheet white. His shoulders trembled slightly and then the reality of his silence hit Candace in the face like a bucket of cold water, but without the water inside it.

"Oh," she murmured, her eyes filling with understanding. "It's not a girl, is it?"

Buford flinched as if he'd been slapped and he looked over at Candace, his eyes filled with tears as he waited for the rejection that had been given to him by his father and his grandparents.

She immediately leapt to her feet and moved to his side, kneeling and giving the boy a tight hug. "Hey. Hey, that doesn't matter. You can like whoever you want to like," she assured him.

Buford gave a shaky smile and Candace tilted her head, studying him closely. "It's Baljeet, isn't it?" she murmured.

Buford glanced away once more, his face beet red, and that was all the answer the redhead needed to confirm her suspicions.

"Have you told anyone?"

Buford bit his lip, not ready to tell her of the ridicule he had faced from his father and his father's parents. "My ma. Ferb. You," he finally said.

"Ferb?" Candace questioned curiously.

The boy gave a small smile, glancing at the table. "Well, I didn't actually tell him. He figured it out and confronted me about it in private. Said he'd keep it a secret if I wanted."

Candace nodded slowly, knowing that while many people came to Phineas for a fun summer day of inventions, still more came to Ferb to confess secrets and get advice. While quiet, the green haired boy was a saint when it came to helping others.

"And how did he react?"

"He said he didn't see me any differently," Buford admitted.

"I don't either," Candace promised. "Have you tried just talking to Baljeet?"

Buford immediately shook his head, looking horrified. "You kidding? He'd hate me!"

Candace laid a hand on his shoulder. "You don't know that," she protested.

The bully sighed and shook his head, looking at the girl pleadingly. "Please Candace. Please don't tell anyone."

Candace, after a moment's hesitation, sighed and ruffled the boy's hair. "Okay. If you don't want me to, I won't tell anyone."

Buford smiled and gave the girl a tight hug. "Thanks, Candace."

She grinned and stood from her crouched position, hands on her hips as she nodded towards the backyard. "No problem. Now….what did you say they were doing out there?"

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><p>Buford shoved his hands into his sweatshirt pocket, creeping quietly but quickly down the street towards the Flynn-Fletcher house. It was late, almost one A.M., and the boy could not stop crying.<p>

He shuddered and angrily brushed the tears from his cheeks, his body shaking from the effort of trying to stay quiet in the dark of the night.

His father had showed up almost half an hour ago, when Buford and his mother had been curled up on the sofa watching a late night movie together, a popcorn bowl situated on Biffany's lap and Biff swimming contently in his bowl next to the couch.

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><p><em>The front door slammed open and Buford and his mother jumped in surprise, popcorn spilling to the floor as the movie continued on the television, oblivious to the happenings outside of its recorded world. <em>

_The two occupants of the house whipped around and Buford whimpered at the sight of the 6'5 man standing in the door. His dark brown hair resembled Buford's own, and the man's figure suggested that the bully was indeed his son. _

"_Biffany," the man growled. "Who the fuck did you go out and see last night?"_

_Buford curled his hands into fists at the sight of his father yelling at his mother, but the woman placed a calming hand on her son's shoulder. "It's none of your business, Mark."_

_Mark narrowed his eyes and then turned his gaze to Buford, his lip curling in disgust. "The fuck you still doing with this abomination around?"_

_Biffany's face narrowed into one of complete hatred and Buford gripped his mother's hand tightly, trying to hide his shaking. It would only give his father something else to taunt him about. _

"_Do not talk that way to my son," Biffany growled. _

_Mark moved forward, his eyes filled with disgust. "This pathetic thing? He's not human, he's disgusting. What kind of fucking creature thinks the way he does, has the views he does? It's unnatural, un-Godlike."_

"_Ha," Biffany snorted, gently pressing Buford towards the back door. "Un-Godlike? Ironic, coming from you."_

_Her fingers moved rapidly behind her back. The two had learned sign language together long ago, as a fun activity they could do on a rainy afternoon. They had also learned Morse code, but now, sign language could not have come at a more opportune time. _

_**Go to the Flynn Fletchers. Call the police. Now. **_

_Buford hesitated, unwilling to leave his mother at the hands of this man. Biffany turned to look at him, the anger in her eyes replaced briefly with a stern sympathy. "Buford, go sit in the kitchen while your father and I talk, please."_

_Her eyes told him that if he disobeyed him, she would be furious, so Buford obliged, leaving to his father's taunts of "Good, leave that piece of shit in the kitchen. This is between us."_

_Buford sprinted from the house, running until he lost his breath and was forced to slow to a crawl, the tears falling down his face faster than he could have thought possible._

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><p>Buford put on a last burst of speed and slammed open the fence leading to the Flynn-Fletcher backyard, startling Perry, who, for some reason, was curled up outside the glass door.<p>

The platypus leapt to his paws as the bully burst into the yard, finally allowing himself to succumb to his tears, and he dropped to his knees, shaking violently. Perry darted over to him, chattering anxiously, and Buford yanked the animal into his arms, quivering badly. He pulled himself to his feet and stumbled to the glass door, pushing aside the fake rock that he knew hid the key under it. All of Phineas, Ferb, and Candace's friends knew it was there, and they were welcome to use their house as a safe haven if ever needed.

Perry was terrified as Buford unlatched the door; he couldn't think of who or what might have frightened the boy so badly that he had run all the way here. The fact that he was without his mother worried the monotreme even more.

Buford slid into the house and set Perry down, reaching for the phone. Perry watched in slight horror as the boy dialed 911, and then the platypus sprinted for the stairs, running up them in record time and bursting into Phineas and Ferb's room, chattering frantically.

The boys bolted upright and Phineas looked at him in confusion. "Perry? I thought mom put you outside after your bath? How did you….get back…in…?"

The boy trailed off and glanced at his brother, his eyes filled with worry. "Either somebody broke into the house, or one of our friends used the key…which means they're in trouble."

Perry chattered again and darted to the door. Phineas leapt from bed, Ferb right behind him. "I'll get mom and dad, you go see who Perry is freaking over. It's probably a friend, since the alarm didn't go off."

Ferb nodded and the boys split up, Ferb following Perry down the stairs and rounding the corner in time to see Buford hang up the phone, his face streaked in tears.

Ferb took one look at the boy and knew immediately what had happened. The Brit moved forward quickly and wrapped Buford in a tight hug, allowing the bully to break down into his arms. The two sat down on the floor and Ferb rubbed Buford's back soothingly while Perry jumped into the boy's lap, chattering softly.

Footsteps pounded on the stairs and Linda came flying down the stairs, the rest of the family behind her. When she spotted Buford, she tucked her open cell phone into her robe pocket and sank down next to him, not saying a word as she pulled him into a hug. "Honey what on earth happened?" she whispered.

Candace and Ferb glanced at one another, having discussed Buford's dad earlier that night, when Candace had told Ferb she knew that Buford was gay.

Buford shook his head slowly. "I don't….I can't. I'm not ready to…to…"

Linda immediately nodded. "I understand."

The bully gulped and glanced over at Phineas and Lawrence nervously. "Can I…can I talk to just Candace and Ferb?"

Though startled and, admittedly a little hurt, the family nodded and stepped into the living room. Candace took her mother's spot on the floor, and Perry purred softly to keep everyone from freaking out again.

"Your dad?" Candace asked softly.

Buford gave a shaky nod. Ferb tilted his head. "Was he calling you names again?"

The bully gulped, his entire body shuddering. Candace wrapped a gentle arm around him and Perry, though confused, knew something was up. He also knew that he was ready to kill Buford's father for hurting this boy.

"What did he say this time?" Ferb murmured, surprisingly chatty.

"Not human. Un-Godlike," the boy grunted, tears still streaming.

Perry couldn't understand what father would treat their son like that, but obviously Candace and Ferb understood, because they shared a sad look and shook their heads.

"What is wrong with me?" Buford finally choked out.

Candace immediately shook her head, hair flying. "Nothing. Your father is the one with problems. If he can't accept you for who you are, who you like, then that's his problem. He's an asshole and you know it."

Ferb and Buford looked at her, stunned that she had sworn, while Perry pieced the words together and deduced correctly what Candace had meant when she had said 'who you are, who you like.'

He growled under his breath and nuzzled Buford briefly, showing his support, before leaping from his lap and trotting away, donning his fedora and slipping into the wall once he was alone.

Buford sighed. "I called 911 already. They're on their way to my house, and a cop is gonna come here and talk to me. I'm…I'm sorry," he murmured.

Candace gently pulled the boy to his feet and led him into the living room, Ferb on Buford's other side. Phineas, Linda, and Lawrence looked up as the three walked in and Phineas jumped to his feet, offering his seat to his friend.

Buford took one look at the pointy little genius' hurt face and winced, glancing at his feet in shame. "I'm sorry," he murmured again.

"What happened?" Lawrence asked softly, his eyes tired and gentle behind his glasses. "If you'd like to talk, I mean. We understand if you'd rather not."

The bully glanced at Candace and Ferb and they gave him small smiles, urging him on. Buford took a deep breath and brought his knees to his chest. "I uh…my ma and I were watching a movie and my dad just came barging into our house."

Linda tilted her head, her eyes glinting in anger. "Is your mother okay? Did she tell you to come here?"

Buford nodded. "Yes. She…after my dad called me a bunch of names, she motioned for me to get out so they could talk. I called 911 as soon as I got here. There will be an officer here soon," he murmured sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

Linda immediately shook her head, draping a kind arm around the boy. "Honey, it's okay. You had no other choice. You know you're welcome here at any time. All of our kid's friends are."

Buford nodded slowly. "I know."

Phineas bit the inside of his cheek, his eyes filled with irritation for his friend's father. "Why was he calling you names?"

Buford shuddered and looked over at Candace and Ferb anxiously. Candace leaned over and took the boy's hand gently, and Ferb gave him a thumbs up.

"He um…he's never liked me. I mean, even as a kid, before he knew about me, he didn't want me. He didn't want a kid and when Ma got pregnant he ran off for a while. When he came back he was really awful, and then when I finally figured everything out and told my parents, he flipped out. Called me a lot of words that I am not allowed to say."

Phineas looked completely bewildered, though the light had clicked on for his parents. Linda was now seething and Lawrence had begun pacing the room, glancing out the window constantly for the police. "I still don't get it…why would a father call his son rotten names?"

Buford took a deeper breath, staring at his hands. "Phineas…look, he doesn't like me because I'm gay, all right?"

Phineas looked startled for a moment and then shook his head. "Is that all? Who cares! If that's the reason he's calling you names, then good riddance to him. He doesn't deserve you and your mom."

Buford's face brightened just a tad and he gave the boy a grateful smile.

A rapid knock sounded from the front door and Lawrence glanced out the window. "The police are here," he informed the family.

Buford stood to join the man at the door and Candace grabbed him for a quick hug. "Next time your dad comes round, I'll kick his ass," Candace whispered.

The bully snorted and sauntered to the door, a new spring in his step.

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><p>As it turned out, Candace didn't need to kick Mark's ass. Somehow, the police said, Mark had managed to leave the house and had gotten his butt kicked by an unknown assailant. They had found him trying to break into a car so that he could, presumably, drive away, and had cuffed him.<p>

"It's weird," the female officer murmured as she shut her notebook and prepared to go. "The marks on his face were almost square, like someone hit him with a really heavy piece of plywood. It wasn't your mother. Officers couldn't find anything that shape that would possibly match it, and the DNA found on him wasn't even human."

Perry, who had just returned, gave a small smirk and inconspicuously massaged his throbbing tail. That man had a hard head.

Buford nodded to the police. "Thank you," he said meekly. The officer smiled, tipped her hat, and vanished out the door.

"Would you like us to take you home, Buford?" Linda asked.

The boy sighed, knowing that the police were still at his house talking to his mother. "Can I um…stay the rest of the night?"

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><p>The next morning shown bright and early, and as the kids showed up one by one, Buford took a huge breath and asked Baljeet if he could speak to him privately.<p>

"Please do not give me a wedgie," the Indian boy pleaded, rolling his eyes as he and Buford stepped out of sight of the others.

Buford gave a half smile, not responding. Baljeet tilted his head gently, watching his friend. "Buford? Are you all right?"

The bully chewed on his lip for a moment, shaking his head slowly. "I need to tell you something man, and I…I don't know quite how you're going to take it," he admitted softly.

Baljeet nodded and leaned against the side of the house, gesturing for him to continue.

"Look…I don't….know how to tell you this…and you might not want to be friends anymore, but I…I don't….ugh." Buford groaned and sank to the ground.

Baljeet gave a small smile, kneeling down to be at his friend's level. "Buford," he said quietly, making the bully look up. "I know you're gay. I know you like me."

The larger boy stared at him for an unreasonable amount of time before burying his flaming red face into his hands. "Who told you?" he grumbled, his voice shaky.

Baljeet pursed his lips and sat down cross legged on the grass. "No one. I figured it out a while ago. And it's okay."

Buford glance up at him, his eyes nervous and scared, and Baljeet winced slightly. "I promise. I mean…I am too young to know what I want at this point. At the moment, I do not return your feelings. But I promise I will still be your friend no matter how you feel or who you come to like. It does not bother me. And if one day I return the feelings…"

The Indian shrugged, not quite sure how to finish, and raised himself to his feet, holding out a small hand. "Now come on. They're waiting for us," he said, a bright smile on his dorky little face that Buford loved so much.

The bully gave a wobbly smile and took his hand, allowing Baljeet to pull him to his feet. Not even hesitating, the smaller of the two pulled Buford into a hug.

"I am glad you were going to tell me though," Baljeet admitted after a moment, pulling away. "I was afraid I may have to confront you about it, and I did not want to make you uncomfortable."

Buford gave the boy a hesitant smile and the two turned towards the backyard.

"Just a question though…does this mean you will stop bullying me?" the boy asked thoughtfully.

Buford tapped his chin in consideration. "Mmmm….nope!"

Baljeet rolled his eyes and resisted a smile as the bully gave him a noogie and ran off cackling.

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><p><strong>Fluff is fun. <strong>

**I see all these Bujeet stories where Baljeet automatically refuses Buford's feelings and they just go too far too fast. They're ten. They need time. **

**Review!**


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